


The Past Of Lady Macbeth, or Macbeth told from the point of view of the Mistress of the Maids

by Venbeth



Category: Macbeth - Shakespeare
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-30
Updated: 2019-07-30
Packaged: 2020-07-27 04:04:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 815
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20039644
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Venbeth/pseuds/Venbeth
Summary: Lady Macbeth deserved better so I gave it to her as best as I could





	The Past Of Lady Macbeth, or Macbeth told from the point of view of the Mistress of the Maids

Those who have only known Lady Elizabeth as Queen know only part of her. So many call her heartless and cold yet if they know what I do they would soon think again.   
When I first set eyes upon Lord Macbeth’s wife, she was but twenty years of age. Her dark hair was swept up and over one shoulder, her bodice tight and unusually dark for a newlywed. Her blue eyes were bright and inquisitive, intrigued by the bustling around her. I could tell she was a woman to be reckoned with, but scarce did I dream what she was capable of. But I’m getting ahead of myself, now.   
The first few years she was a delight, a quiet woman yet a caring one. She created embroidery to be envied yet never boasted of it. Her personal maids said they couldn’t wish for a more understanding, considerate mistress and nearly every other servant agreed. Lady Elizabeth was the perfect wife for our dashing lord and a stabiliser for his passion to truth by throwing himself into every fight. Love suited our lord. She calmed him, focused him.  
Then she became pregnant. At first everything was wonderful – Lady Elizabeth gave birth to a beautiful boy who was baptised Albert. Lord Robert and his wife were more in love than ever and little Albert was thriving. Suddenly he fell ill and within the fortnight he’d died. Lady Elizabeth – always a private person – became closed off. She still carried on as normal but there was a hollowness to her eyes, they’d lost their beautiful shine. Far too quickly she fell pregnant again. No one but the doctor and a select few maids were permitted to see her. Lady Elizabeth was taking no risks.   
In the end it didn’t matter though, baby Christian came too soon and only took a handful of breaths before her last. Lady Elizabeth shut down then. She became cold and closed off – even Lord Robert found it hard to be in her presence and before they had been wed ten years, he took a mistress. She was barely twenty with corn silk hair – a dainty little thing. Lord Macbeth was unhappy though and was thinking about dropping Mistress Rosetta but then she fell pregnant. That sent Lord Robert over the edge – being heirless he felt obligated to tell Lady Elizabeth for even an illegitimate child was better than none. Lady Elizabeth’s face bore no emotion – she was completely stone-faced when faced with the news of her husband’s infidelity. Later in her bedchamber she exploded – she screamed and cried and broke things. That was the one and only time anyone saw Lady Elizabeth lose control. Mistress Rosetta gave birth to a healthy baby boy with Lord Macbeth’s honey curls but her own dark eyes. He was to be raised by Lord Robert’s nanny here in the castle and educated when he was old enough but a week before his first birthday he died in his bed. No one outright said it, but we all suspected the Lady. Mistress Rosetta couldn’t take it and ate belladonna berries. Lady Elizabeth became very driving then, she pushed Lord Robert to greatness. I think she felt that if she couldn’t give him living children, she would make sure he was respected and had authority and influence.   
For a while it worked, and Lord Macbeth rose to great power and was well liked. Then he became the Thane of Cawdor and she lost the run of herself. I know it was her idea to murder His Majesty in his sleep and then cover it up. Lady Elizabeth might have hidden it from most people, but she can’t hide it from me. I could tell she was struggling and prayed she would turn to me for help but some reason – pride, concern for my safety or something else entirely – kept it all bottled up inside. When she began sleepwalking, I felt for her. She might be a grown woman, but I can’t stop my maternal feelings. Eventually I had to call for he doctor who couldn’t help her at all. At this point Lord Robert was beyond madness and obsessed with keeping the throne. His love for his wife – always fragile – was gone. Lady Elizabeth realised that and threw herself off the battlements. I think I was the only one who cried for her. At that point she’d angered too many people to earn sympathy. The world was cruel to Lady Elizabeth, so she was cruel back. She tried so hard but eventually hit breaking point, and that’s what most people don’t know. They never saw how she cared too much and that everything she did was for love. That doesn’t excuse what she did but it’s so much more forgivable than greed and a thirst for power. Her reasons weren’t cruel or selfish, she just wanted to support her husband.


End file.
